The Ingredient Ratio To Follow For Perfect Homemade Kombucha Every Time

"Love" may be the secret ingredient, but good food is often a product of science — a gastronomic universality that takes on unique meaning in the realm of fermentation. Today's tip comes from Emma Christensen, homebrewing expert and author of the upcoming book "Hard Seltzer, Iced Tea, Kombucha, and Cider."

Here at Tasting Table, we're all about flexing a little creative liberty in the kitchen. But, when it comes to making kombucha, it's best to leave any experimentation to the professionals. Just as a chemist must carefully measure their ingredients to assemble a desired formula, homebrewers must follow a specific kombucha recipe to yield a successful brew. "Always follow a tested recipe when making kombucha," Christensen advises, in an exclusive interview with Tasting Table. "The ratios of prepared kombucha, sugar, water, and tea are important for the health of the SCOBY. Adding more or less of any of the ingredients could throw off the fermentation and leave your SCOBY vulnerable to mold." (We have a few tips for identifying unwelcome mold growth on your SCOBY, by the way.) 

Luckily, Christensen has a failsafe formula for nailing the perfect brew every time: "My basic recipe is for 1 cup of sugar, 8 bags of caffeinated tea, 2 cups of prepared kombucha, and 3 ½ quarts of water. And a scoby, of course!" Within this basic structure, kombucha fans can customize their batches with different flavors of tea, or by adding juices, herbs, or other ingredients post-ferment.

In kombucha, the SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) is a rubbery, puck-shaped fermentation starter made of healthy, active bacteria. It's alive, and during its tenure in your fermentation vessel, that SCOBY is feeding on the sugars in the tea base of the kombucha, then converting them into carbon dioxide and acids (creating our brew's fizziness and sour-tangy flavor). At least, this is what ideally happens. If your kombucha has unbalanced levels of sugar, tea, water, and prepared kombucha, those positive microorganisms won't have a live culture in which to thrive.

By following an expertly crafted recipe, brewers can steer clear of easily avoidable homemade kombucha mistakes. These ingredient ratios don't step on any potential for creativity, either. "After fermentation is complete and you've removed the SCOBY, it's fine to add more sugar, fruit juice, fruit, or any other ingredients for flavoring," explains Emma Christensen. "Since you've removed the SCOBY, none of these additions will affect it or your subsequent batches, so add as much as you like!" 

If you're thirsty for a little inspiration, we're loving this innovative cinnamon apple chai kombucha. While we're waiting for Christensen's new book to come out, we'll be brushing up on her 2013 publication "True Brews: How to Craft Fermented Cider, Beer, Wine, Sake, Soda, Mead, Kefir, and Kombucha at Home" – an accessible guidebook for homebrewers looking to take their 'buch game to the next level.